Related Stories

With just four days left before Kingsmill’s department store closes for good, the owner says he’s on “pins and needles” over the historic building’s future.

Tim Kingsmill thought he had a deal under which Fanshawe College would set up a second downtown campus, but that was dealt a major blow when city council, in a squeaker vote, turned down Fanshawe’s request for $10 million to help fund the project. Kingsmill is waiting for Fanshawe’s next move.

“To be honest, I don’t know what they are going to do. I have my fingers crossed,” he said.

Fanshawe officials said their purchase offer for the Kingsmill’s building expires in “early August” but they haven’t disclosed a specific date.

Fanshawe’s communications manager, Elaine Gamble, said college officials have made no decision.

“All I can tell you is that meetings are continuing,” she said.

The decision has been complicated because Fanshawe president Peter Devlin is taking his first vacation since starting the job last September. But Gamble said he has attended meetings.

Coun. Joe Swan, who led the opposition to a $10-million donation from the city, said any deadline for Fanshawe to buy the Kingsmill building is “irrelevant.”

“We don’t need a gun to our head. We can’t be so focused on one building. The cost of other buildings is significantly less,” said Swan, who recently announced he’s running for mayor.

Swan wants Fanshawe to create another downtown campus, but he said at least two other private-­sector offers would give the college more space for a much lower price with no contribution required from the city.

Swan said city planners relaxed some heritage restrictions to allow Fanshawe to renovate the Kingsmill building and that has attracted interest from a residential developer.

“Its primary and best use is likely a residential conversion,” he said.

Kingsmill has heard the talk about a residential building project but he’s skeptical.

“The fact is there is no parking. If someone wants to spend a million dollars on a condo, they want parking,” he said.

- - -

WHAT HAPPENED

Fanshawe proposed spending $66.2 million to buy and renovate the Kingsmill’s department store, adding three storeys.

The college’s information technology program, now offered across the street, would be expanded in Kingsmill’s space and the school of hospitality and tourism moved there.

The two buildings would house a combined 2,000 students.

Last week, city council rejected Fanshawe’s request for a $10- million grant to help buy the building.